Rutland recorded no deaths and no Covid-19 cases today.

The figures also mean the county has also gone more than three weeks without a death, a milestone which was reached yesterday.

Today's pair of zeros compares with just one case yesterday, which gives a grand total of 1644 since the start of the pandemic. This is equivalent to about one case for every 25 residents.

The number of cases recorded over the past 7 days fell from 12 to 10, its lowest in months.

The 7-day infection rate is now 25 cases per 100,000, which is lower than the England average of 28 cases per 100,000.

The numbers of deaths of people dying within 28 days of testing positive with the virus again remained at 61, which is equivalent to about one for every 700 residents. This compares to an England average of about one-in-500.

Meanwhile in Lincolnshire, eight Covid-19 cases were recorded in South Kesteven today and again no deaths.

The number compares with 14 cases last Thursday, leading to a decline in the 7-day infection rate.

In the week to today, South Kesteven has recorded 65 cases, compared with 72 in the week to yesterday and 101 in the week to last Thursday.

This gives a 7-day rate of 45.6, which is well above the England average of 28..

In total, 7473 cases have been recorded in South Kesteven since the start of the pandemic. This is about one-in-20 of the population.

No deaths were recorded today, but on Tuesday the district record its first Covid-linked fatality in more than 3 weeks.

The total of 266 since the start of the pandemic means that around one-in-600 South Kesteven residents will have died withing 28 days of a positive test for the virus.

This is better than the England average of one-in-500 residents.

Overall, there have been 63 new coronavirus cases and one COVID-related death in Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, compared to 93 cases and no deaths this time last week.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 40 new cases in Lincolnshire, 13 in North Lincolnshire and 10 in North East Lincolnshire.

On Thursday, one death was registered in North Lincolnshire, none in North East Lincolnshire but -1 in Lincolnshire. Fluctuations in data can occur for a variety of reasons including corrected data, misdiagnoses or wrong addresses. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

National cases increased by 2,672 to 4,380,976, while deaths rose by 30 to 127,191.

In national news, introducing COVID status certificates to help reopen society risks discriminating against some groups, the UK equality watchdog has warned.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission says certificates to prove who is vaccinated could help to ease restrictions "in principle".

But they could create a "two-tier society whereby only certain groups are able to fully enjoy their rights".

Fighting airborne transmission is key to any future attempts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, a BMJ editorial has said.

The editorial looked at how a cloud of exhaled smoke behaves to suggest people are most likely to get the virus when they are standing within one metre of someone who has it.